time for my review...

Well, it will be 1 year on Saturday that I have been a stay-at-home wife and mom. Guess it is time for my review! Anything you want to share, Ry or Nate?

out of 1,164...

I won! Well, I won one of 3 gift certificates to Baskin-Robbins in a contest at Freebies for Mom. It's a great blog with lots of good info. She often has contests, and this time I won! You can read more about it here.

One thing I have loved to do since I started staying at home was to get freebies off the internet. I've gotten stuff from diapers to wipes, rolls of toilet paper to paper towels, shampoo, lotions, food samples, vitamins, a cutting board and even some skewers. It's been fun to see what I can find, and getting the mail is lots more interesting now!

Daybook - April 27

For Today, my Daybook (it's been awhile...) ...

Outside My Window…
dark, drizzly, humid

I am thinking…
That 1 week from today is our 7th wedding anniversary!

I am thankful for…
my parents visiting this weekend and allowing us to go on a date night Saturday!

We are learning…
Crawling! We had some friends over Saturday and they were showing Nate now to crawl. He's getting better at scooting on his stomach and rolling over (like off the breast-feeding pillow, tries to off the changing table, etc.)

From the kitchen…
Did my meal plan last night (both boys went to bed early). Tomorrow Shana and I are off to Sun Harvest, and we are taking 2 meals to friends this week who just had babies!

I am wearing…
2004 Old Navy shirt and jeans (which are getting kinda loose...)

I am creating…
Nate's 9 month update cards to family...before he turns 10 months this week! ugh!

I am going…
to hopefully have a car! We finally got the CR-V back last week, then found a screw in the tire. Ry got that fixed today, but now there is a rattling sound where the car was hit. It may go back to the shop, then we are back down to 1 car!

I am reading…
finished my Dr. Laura book (In Praise of Stay at Home Moms) last week. Now I really need to start the Shack.

I am hoping…
that we don't get hail...I hear the thunder!

Around the house…
need to get the guest room ready - my sister moves in next month! yea! also need to get back on track on my Flylady missions!

One of my favorite things…
watching Nate on a real swing today - he even pumped his legs! Looks like we got a good swinger!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:
Sun Harvest tomorrow, meals to deliver, playdate with the G's, find Ry an anniversary gift (any suggestions for something Copper or Wool - we try to be creative with the yearly anniversary gifts)

Here is a picture thought I am sharing…our belated pic from Easter. We went to 8 am Mass and it was cold and rainy - so no Spring colors here!

how do you fit a carseat in an eclipse?

like this! luckily, after 3 weeks of doing this, Nate has moved back into his preferred car, our CR-V. whoop! As you can see, the passenger seat has to be moved completely to the front (I think the back seat has more room at this point), and Nate gets lots of sun from the windows. He wasn't a big fan of this!

the garden - initial and week 1

Ry and his dad built a great garden Holy Saturday. Easter Sunday, Ry's mom Terri and I planted our veggies and herbs. The garden includes sweet onions, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, yellow pear tomatoes, red bell peppers, petite orange bell peppers, sugar snap peas, jalepenos, summer squash, cilantro and basil! We only planted the peas and squash by seed, and they are already growing! I'm going to have to cull out about 2/3rds this weekend, so let me know if you want any!

Here are some pictures. I'll try to take 'em weekly and update you on the progress. To date we've only have eaten the basil and cilantro.

Planting with Terri

Initial garden

Garden - week 1

The squash coming up

The peas coming up

And how we water the garden, with Nate in the back pack! He loves being close to the plants and see what Mommy's doing!

NJ/NYC part 2

And here is the the 2nd part of our trip. We had fun exploring Hoboken and Manhattan. Nate sure loved the Flux's - can't wait for them to come visit us. What a great and relaxing trip! Can't wait to see y'all again soon Christina and Damien!

us with my cousin Chris

Times Square with Christina

At the Mac cube store

the fam riding the carousel in Central Park

the fam at Times Square

same smile?

us at Rockefeller Center

playing cards with Daddy (boy did we like the Monopoly Deal game!)

we actually ran into a high school friend Jeannette in Penn Station. How crazy to hear someone call "Alexis?"

on the carousel with aunt Christina, Nate and Ry

Christina feeling Nate's strong teeth grip!

Having fun at FAO Schwartz

Nate and the Flux's

NJ/NYC part 1

Okay, I narrowed down our 100s of pics from NYC and NJ to 26. Here is the first half - come back tomorrow for the rest! There are also in no particular order. enjoy!

me and my cousin Chris

Exploring NYC with Daddy

the Empire State building from NJ

The Empire State building from Rockefeller Center

the Dobsons and Fluxes

Nate cooking with uncle Damien

us with my cousin Chris

exploring Central Park

carried by aunt Christina

Bouncy time with uncle Damien

aunt Christina's cube...with a pic of Nate!

Chris and Nate at the bar

the horses on the Carousel in Central Park

the cutest action...

is clapping hands! And Nate started it yesterday. We have been practicing by playing "paddy-cake" but he started it up on his own! yea! Only smiling and laughing can be better ;-)

SAHM

Since college I have been a fan of Dr. Laura Schlessinger. I've listened to her radio program and bought her books. For Easter, I got her newest book, In Praise of Stay-at-Home Moms. I knew growing up that I always wanted to be a mom, and Ry and I spoke that if and when we were blessed to have children, that I would stay home with them.

Well, as cliche as it sounds, it has been the best and hardest job I've had. This book has been wonderful, helping me to see better what role I have in the family, since I haven't been bringing in a paycheck for a year. She focuses on how it is good for the kids, for the marriage and for me!

So, in doing my daily chores today, I did them in another way. The laundry basket became a race car, driving Nate from the laundry room to our closet. We jammed to music and after I was done just laid on the floor looking at the ceiling. And when it was nap time, I rested right next to my son, with Charlie the dog squeezing me on the other side. I laid there and thought, I wouldn't have these special times if I was working. These days in which the most I crossed off my list was putting away the laundry. But I have the great memories of Nate dancing to "Ice Ice Baby" and figuring out how to flip the switch to turn off the light. Thank you Ryan for allowing me to have this wonderful job.

I can't believe on May 2 it will be a year since I left my paying job. Guess it is time for my annual review!

PA vacation

Well, I really think I shouldn't have had that cup of coffee at 4:30 pm, since it is almost 2 am and I'm wide awake.

Well, better be productive! Here are some pics from our vacation in PA last month. The weather was cool for us, and we had lots of fun being spoiled by family! I had tons to pick from, and here are a few of my favorites!

leaving on a jet plane

with mommy on the plane

with great Grandpa Dobson, just before his 90th birthday

do you like my hat cousin Evan?

hanging out with aunt Lisa

Nana, the birthday girl

playing with great grandpa

Nate's new girl, cousin Jill

Nate and his new favorite guy, great grandpa

Nana and Nate

Nate and great grandma

4 generations, Nana's side

4 generations, Papa's side